From the Ashes
by Ellie Dee
Summary: After the Season 6 finale, two old friends meet on their way out of town.


TITLE: "From the Ashes."  
AUTHOR: Ellie Dee   
EMAIL: Ellie_Dee@hotmail.com   
RATING: PG13-R  
PAIRING: Jonathan/Amy  
SUMMARY: After the events in the Season 6 finale, two old friends   
meet on their way out of town.   
SPOILERS: Anything through the Season 6 finale should be   
considered fair game.  
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it's associated characters  
are the intellectual property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, UPN  
and WB. In other words, there is but one Goddess and Joss is her prophet.   
DISTRIBUTION: You want it, you can have it. Just please keep my name  
and Email address on it and let me know where it's wandered off to.   
FEEDBACK: YES! This is the only way I get paid and right now I am  
emotionally bankrupt.   
DEDICATION: To Danny Strong and Elizabeth Anne Allen.   
  
"From the Ashes."   
By: Ellie Dee  
  
Looking over her shoulder, Amy Madison entered the Sunnydale Amtrak   
station and carefully made her way over to the counter.   
  
It was just after six in the morning and the clerk at the counter was   
counting the minutes till he would be off duty. If he hadn't been dead   
on his feet he would have noticed how odd the brunette in front of him   
was acting.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"Uh, yeah..... c-can I get a ticket?"  
  
"Where to miss?"   
  
Reaching into her pocket, Amy pulled out a handful of bills and pushed   
them across the counter. "Where ever this will take me."  
  
Quickly the clerk counted up the money , "Ok miss, this will get you   
to Phoenix on the 6:15." He then printed out a ticket and handed it to   
her.   
  
Checking the wall clock, Amy made her way to the restroom. When she   
came out, the train had pulled in and was loading.  
  
Boarding the train, she made her way to the seat she had been assigned.   
When she got there, she was surprised to see who her seatmate was.  
  
"Jonathan? What are you doing here?"   
  
Hearing his name, the young man sitting next to the window suddenly   
looked up in shock. When he saw Amy he nearly dropped the laptop he   
was holding.   
  
"Uh, hi Amy."   
  
Sitting down next to him. Amy stared at her childhood friend and asked,   
"Well?"  
  
Looking uncomfortable, Jonathan tried to sound nonchalant, "Uh...I'm uh,   
going to visit some relatives."  
  
Amy then reached over and removed the glasses and fake moustache he was   
wearing. Holding them up, she added, "Really? I thought you and Andy the   
Dork were on the run from the cops after your little crime spree and   
jailbreak."   
  
"Oh....., you heard."  
  
"Well, you two aren't on Headline News," she said with a smirk. "But they   
got your pictures all over the local stations. By the way, where's your   
partner in crime?"  
  
"Probably in L.A. by now. At least I hope so. We caught a ride out of   
town with a trucker and I took off when we pulled into a rest stop."   
  
"So why'd you come back?"  
  
"I didn't have time to grab my getaway kit before we took off."   
  
After glancing at the bag between his feet, Amy looked at Jonathan and   
asked sympathetically, "So you knew they were going to dump you?"   
  
Smiling ruefully he replied, "Pretty much right from the beginning. I   
knew that after they got what they wanted there wouldn't be any place   
for me."   
  
Suddenly Jonathan looked up and asked, "Hey, aren't you suppose to be   
a rat?"  
  
"Willow was able to turn me back." She said uncomfortably.   
  
"Was this before or after she went over to the 'Dark Side'?"  
  
"Before."  
  
"So why are you running?"  
  
"Cause I'm scared." She replied honestly. "Willow's changed, she's   
grabbing all the magickal energy she can get a hold of. She drained   
the Magick Box and sucked Rack dry."  
  
A look of confusion crossed Jonathan's face as he asked, "I thought   
she only liked girls?"  
  
"Of magick, you twit." Amy sighed in frustration.  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
"Anyway, I figure with the spells I've got stored up, I'm next."  
  
The two friends sat in silence as the train began to pull away from   
the station. It was several minutes later as they were passing the   
outskirts of town that one of them spoke.  
  
"You know, we have to be the two sorriest individuals I've ever met.   
Willow wants to drain you of your magick and she wants to kill me for   
what Warren did to Tara."  
  
"Tara? What happened to her?"  
  
"You didn't hear? He shot her, Buffy too. But Tara didn't have a Slayer's   
ability to regenerate."  
  
"You mean she's ....dead?"  
  
All Jonathan could do was nod wearily.   
  
"Oh shit! No wonder she went all Chaotic Evil." She said in a hushed   
voice as she stared at Jonathan. "We are fucked."  
  
"Yeah, that about sums it up."  
  
Closing her eyes, Amy leaned back in her seat and tried to forget all   
that had happened in the past few weeks. Then as tears began to fall,   
she felt Jonathan take her hand in his.   
  
For sometime they sat in silence as the miles rolled by. Finally   
opening her eyes, Amy started to force a smile when suddenly she and   
Jonathan felt it.   
  
Anyone not attuned to magick would have thought it was just one of the   
aftershocks California was famous for, but the two young sorcerers knew   
better.  
  
Oblivious to everyone else on the train they clung to one another as   
they felt the world begin to come apart magickally when suddenly, nothing.  
  
Cracking open one eye, Amy asked, "Why aren't we dead?"  
  
As a look of wonder spread across his face, Jonathan simply replied,   
"Harris."   
  
"What? You mean Xander?"  
  
"Yeah, he stopped her."  
  
"Xander killed Willow?"  
  
"No, he stopped her. He turned her back."  
  
"The Zeppo stopped the end of the world? How?"  
  
His face warming into a soft smile, Jonathan replied, "He loves her."  
  
Hearing this, the two friends hugged one another as they laughed till   
they cried.  
  
Eventually, Amy ran a hand across her eyes. "Come on. Let's go see what   
passes for breakfast around here." Then as she stood and held out her   
hand, she said in a croaking, Muppet-like voice, "Young Jedi come. Food   
seek we must."  
  
"I didn't think you could still do his voice," he said chuckling as he   
took her hand and grabbed his carryon bag. "Hey, maybe we can get omelets."   
  
"Fine," she said ruefully. "Just promise me; NO CHEESE."   
  
*****  
  
The two were just finishing up breakfast as the train slowed to a   
stop at the station near downtown   
Los Angeles. They had been so deep in conversation that they hadn't even   
realized that they had been holding hands for most of the trip.  
  
They had talked about a lot of things; school, their different styles   
of magick, the various Apocalypses that had taken place recently. But   
for the most part they talked about the old days; back before their   
families had pushed them apart. Jonathan's to make him excel in school   
and Amy's mother trying to live out her past glories through her daughter.   
  
Back to when they would spend their afternoons watching movies or Amy's   
Power Ranger tapes or just reading stories to one another. Back to when   
even Willow and Xander would tease them about how much time they spent   
together.   
  
"There's no hurry sir, I'll be glad to pick this up anytime." Said their   
waitress as she laid their check on the table.   
  
As he was finishing his iced tea, Jonathan saw Amy look at the bill. She   
then paused and started to take out her wallet. Reaching across, Jonathan   
snatched up the check as he stood.   
  
"My treat," was all he said as he stuck his hand into his bag.  
  
Looking down, Amy's eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she saw   
the bags contents. Then in a hushed voice she exclaimed, "What did you   
do, rob a bank?"  
  
"Several actually," he replied as he peeled off a ten and a twenty to   
pay for their meal. "But this is just my get away cash. The rest is in   
a couple accounts I set up in an off shore bank."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Computers are really cool," he said with a grin. "While Dork I and II   
were planning some of our heists, I was experimenting with Electronic   
Fund Transfers. They never even knew what I was doing."  
  
As the two made their way back to their seats, they came to the tube   
that connected their car to the dining car. The airlock was fairly   
small, so they went through one at a time. When the automatic door   
closed behind Jonathan the lights flashed, suddenly he heard a pounding   
from the other side of the door.  
  
Quickly hitting the door plate, the door opened emitting a frantic Amy.   
  
"Shhh, it's ok Amy, it's ok." He said putting his arms around her.  
  
"Y...you don't understand. It's like I was a rat again, I felt like   
I was stuck in a Habitrail."  
  
"Come on, you're ok. Let's go sit down."   
  
Finding their seats, Jonathan sat with his arm around Amy. For some   
time they talked, or more accurately she talked while Jonathan listened.   
He hadn't realized how badly her time as a rat had effected her.  
  
Eventually Amy had calmed down and went off to the restroom. When   
she returned she found that Jonathan had set up his lap top on his   
fold down table.   
  
When she joined her friend, he handed her a cup of coke.  
  
"You got back just in time. I got something I think you're going to   
like." He said as he reached over and touched the keyboard.   
  
Quickly the computers screen lit up with a star field as John Williams   
famous theme came through the speakers.   
  
When she saw the title, Amy nearly shrieked. "'Return of the Jedi!'   
I didn't know Lucas had released it on DVD yet."  
  
"Well.....actually he hasn't."  
  
"You mean this is a bootleg copy? How'd you get it?"  
  
"Like I said, computers are really cool."  
  
Chuckling to themselves, Amy laid her head on Jonathan's shoulder as   
they watched one of their favorite movies.  
  
*****  
  
For a long time after the movie had ended, Jonathan sat looking out   
the window as he held Amy's hand. She had fallen asleep shortly   
after the Death Star had exploded and was now softly snoring.   
  
Thinking back to the movie Jonathan couldn't help but remember how   
Amy had teased him when they had first watched it. She'd said the   
only reason he liked it was because of Leia's full metal bikini....  
Which was true, it's just that he had always pictured Amy in it.  
  
"Jonathan, you in there?"  
  
"Sorry, I was day dreaming."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Uh, well, about your 14th birthday party at the pool. You know, you   
looked really good in that suit."  
  
"You've got to be kidding, I was so fat. I could have killed mom for   
making me go."  
  
"No, you looked good, really. Xander and I couldn't keep our eyes off   
of you.......come to think of it, Willow couldn't keep her eyes off of   
you either." He said with a smirk.  
  
The shocked look on Amy's face was priceless.   
  
"You're joking.......please tell me you're joking," she begged.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She.....she's seen me naked!"  
  
Lucky her, he couldn't help thinking with a touch of jealousy. Then   
looking closely at Amy he asked, "What is it?"  
  
"It's just the thought of her thinking of me that way.... it makes   
me feel kind of weird. I guess I sound like some type of Homophobe."  
  
"I don't think you're a Homophobe. Look at it this way, would you   
feel weird if Xander had seen you naked? Because you know all he ever   
thinks about is sex."  
  
For a few seconds Amy was silent as she stared out the window. Then   
she slowly nodded.   
  
"Yeah, that would have freaked me out too."  
  
"Besides, you should try spending a year around the 'Closet Twins',   
that's enough to make anyone Homophobic."  
  
"You mean Warren and Andrew?"  
  
"Yeah, Warren couldn't make up his mind which way he wanted to   
swing and Andrew kept sticking his nose out of the closet. They   
were so full of denial that they took my place in the dictionary   
under pathetic. I wish Larry was still around, he would have enjoyed   
pounding their sorry asses into the ground."  
  
"I heard he didn't make it through Graduation."  
  
"Yeah, he went out swinging." Pausing for a moment, Jonathan added,   
"You know, Larry really liked you?"  
  
"Jonathan, Willow told me about Larry being gay when she turned me   
back, or didn't you know?"  
  
"I've known about Larry ever since the Ninth grade. Why do you think   
he never beat me up?"  
  
"You mean....you and Larry......were...." she faltered.  
  
Looking over at his childhood friend, Jonathan smiled as he said,   
"The word is friends. We talked a lot, even before we helped blow up   
the library. He knew I wouldn't tell anyone about him."  
  
"So you're not...."  
  
"Gay? No, or at least I don't think so. I mean, I sometimes see a guy   
who looks really hot, but I don't suddenly want to go jump in bed with   
him."  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"I don't know, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford."  
  
"What about around here?"  
  
"Uh....well...."  
  
"Come on, out with it."  
  
Jonathan then mumbled some names as he turned away.  
  
"What was that?" Amy asked.  
  
"I said, Harris and Mr. Giles, Ok?" The boy said in frustration.  
  
"Ok, I see Mr. Giles. He's got that suave British Sean Connery thing   
going. But Xander?"  
  
"Remember when he and I both tried out for the swim team? Well let's   
just say a Speedo does more for him than it does for me."  
  
"A Speedo, huh? I'll have to remember that." That said, Amy silently   
eyed her friend as he slowly began to blush.   
  
Right then the Conductor could be heard over the PA system. "Phoenix,   
next stop Phoenix, Arizona. The local time is 4:35 PM. All passengers   
stopping at Phoenix should prepare to disembark."  
  
"Well, I guess this is where I get off." Amy sighed.  
  
"Why here?"  
  
"Because that's all the money I had. I couldn't get a hold of that much   
before I had to skip town. Look, don't worry. I can take care of my self.   
You just be careful, ok?"   
  
As the train entered the outskirts of Phoenix and began to slow, Amy got   
to her feet.  
  
"I'll see you around," she said, quickly turning towards the exit.  
  
Luckily few people were getting off at Phoenix, otherwise Amy would have   
been bumping into most of them. The tears that were filling her eyes made   
seeing almost impossible.  
  
Waiting at the exit by the Conductor, Amy wiped her eyes as she felt the   
train decelerate. Just as it stopped she heard someone walk up behind her.   
  
"So, what do you want to have for dinner?"  
  
Spinning around she saw Jonathan. Staring at him she asked, "What are you   
doing here?"  
  
"Trying to figure out if we've got enough time to go shopping before dinner."  
  
"I don't need you to take care of me," she said trying to sound brave.   
  
"Sure you do," Jonathan replied, a sad smile on his face. "And I need   
you to take care of me. Face it Amy, we're two kinda beat up people who   
need each other, just to be whole. We're going together, where ever you want   
to go. I lost you once and I'll be damned if I'm going to loose you   
again!" Then quietly he added, "I love you."  
  
Amy looked back at her childhood friend and realized that she had been given   
a second chance. This time she wasn't going to waste it.  
  
Leaning forward, she gently kissed him on the cheek. "For luck," she said as   
she took his hand and led him off the train.  
  
*****  
  
One year later.  
  
Willow Rosenberg was intrigued by the letter she found mixed in with the   
usual bills. The return address and postmark were from Belize, but she   
couldn't for the life of her remember ever meeting a Mr. and Mrs. Lupin.  
  
Opening the envelope she was shocked by the photograph she found inside.   
But quickly her shocked expression turned to one of happiness as she stared   
at the photograph of Jonathan, Amy and their daughter, Miriam Anne Levinson.  
  
THE END 


End file.
